Cross border travel passes “common sense” says AM

MONMOUTH Assembly Member Nick Ramsay has hailed as “common sense” news that Welsh Government officials are working with the Department of Transport to consider cross border use of concessionary bus passes.

Mr Ramsay contacted the Welsh Government’s Transport Minister, Edwina Hart AM, after receiving a letter from a constituent who complained that the current pass offered very poor value for many people living in rural Monmouthshire.

Speaking today, Mr Ramsay said:

“While people living in Cardiff and other large urban areas can use their bus pass for a major portion of their daily travel, people living in rural areas in the county are unable to use their pass freely to travel across the border into England.

“I understand that the Government’s Minister for Transport, Patrick McLoughlin MP, has recently confirmed his support for officials to meet and consider cross border use of concessionary bus passes.

“There is a basic unfairness in the current arrangements and we need a common sense solution. I will be monitoring the situation and hope that the outcome will be in favour of cross border use for my constituents who under the present system feel their concessionary travel passes are of very limited value. “